411 Box Office Report: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Scores Second-Best Opening Of 2023

Spider-Man made his return to the top of the box office this weekend, as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse nailed the second-best start for any film this year. Sony’s animated sequel to 2018’s Into The Spider-Verse finished at #1 with ease, nailing down $120.5 million. That’s behind only The Super Mario Bros Movie’s $146.3 million start in early April and just ahead of the $118.4 million brought by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 a few weeks ago.

The number is also a huge improvement for this particular Spider-Man franchise. Into The Spider-Verse got off to a $35.3 million start in December of 2018, legging out well thanks to the holiday timeframe to finish with $190.2 million. Across The Spider-Verse has done 63% of the first film’s total domestic box office in just its first three days. That’s thanks to the first film’s Oscar-winning levels of critical acclaim and a lot of hype for the new entry.

That hype was shot through the roof when early word largely said the anticipation was warranted. Across the Spider-Verse has a scorching 95% aggregated score on Rotten Tomatoes among critics. Audiences are loving it too, with a 96% RT audience score and an A CinemaScore, basically the same scores as the first film. Dolby’s Head of Cinema and Group Entertainment said of the film, “We’re thrilled to see the overwhelming box office success of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as we head into an exciting summer blockbuster season. The film’s mesmerizing visuals and gripping storyline truly come alive in Dolby Cinema, and it’s evident that audiences worldwide are deeply connecting with this story. We look forward to what the rest of the summer has in store as we continue to provide audiences with more awe-inspiring cinematic experiences.”

All that said, Across the Spider-Verse will not have the box office legs of its predecessor. The holiday season is notorious for its week-to-week holds, and Across The Spider-Verse will be more frontloaded because anticipation was high as opposed to building as it did for the first film. But this is still going to be a megahit for Sony Pictures Animation and Marvel. It seems likely to do at least $330 million domestically and perhaps much more, and with a budget of $100 million this is making big money for the studio.

The Little Mermaid fell softer than several projections, down 57% in its second weekend to $40.6 million. That number is lighter than the 60% drop for the live-action The Lion King, though higher than 2019’s Aladdin (53%). It was thought that perhaps the divisive critical buzz might hurt this one, but it’s doing better than expected week-to-week thus far.

More encouraging than that is the fact that after a slow overseas start, things are heating up just a touch. The film has hit $186.2 million domestically and $326.7 million, which are solid if not overwhelming numbers against a $250 million budget. Little Mermaid is currently still likely to get close to (or surpass) $300 million domestically, and will be profitable for the studio if not a runaway hit.

Coming in at #3 was The Boogeyman. The loose adaptation of the Stephen King short story brought in $12.3 million domestically, right around the $13 million or so that 20th Century Studios expected. It’s not the most robust start, but it’s solid enough especially considering relatively light competition for horror coming up.

The Boogeyman is based off of one of King’s short stories as opposed to a major book, and as such interest was lower than other recent King adaptations like It or the Pet Sematary remake. Still, the opening is on par with the likes of The Forever Purge ($12.5 million in 2021) and Barbarian ($10.5 million last year). The catch here is that Boogeyman has a bigger budget at a reported $35 million.

While the lack of direct competition will help the film, it is fighting against the headwinds of its traditionally front-loaded genre. On the plus side, its reviews were okay if not great (62% on RT) and its audience reaction is decent (62% RT audience score, B- CinemaScore). This one is looking likely to gross the $30 million domestic box office, though it will need to rely on its international numbers picking up to make any real profit.

Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was down 51% from in its fourth weekend to $10.2 million. The MCU film is a fully certified hit with $322.7 million domestically and $780.1 million worldwide. It has officially surpassed the first Guardians’ worldwide gross and is looking likely to top $350 million domestically. The budget was $250 million.

Fast X is fading faster than your average film in the franchise, down 60% again in its third weekend to $9.2 million. That puts the action film at $128.5 million domestically and $603.3 million worldwide. Once again, this franchise is all about the international box office, though with a reported $300 million-plus budget it is going to need to keep chugging along. Universal won’t be sweating this one too hard and it should be able to reach around $160 million domestically and upwards of $780 million worldwide, though the studio surely wanted a bit more out of it.

The Super Mario Bros Movie was down 48% to $3.4 million in its ninth weekend, feeling a bit of the Spider-Man sting. The has grossed $566.3 million domestically and $1.30 billion worldwide thus far, an enormous hit against a $100 million budget. It is still on target for around $575 million domestically.

About My Father had a mediocre hold, down 51% in its second weekend to $2.1 million. The comedy has now grossed $8.8 million domestically and $9.1 million worldwide, a dud gainst a $29 million budget. Domestically it should reach around $13 million.

Burt Kreicher’s The Machine fared even worse, down 61% in its sophomore frame to $1.8 million. The largely ignored comedy is now at $8.7 million domestically and $8.8 million worldwide, with its profit coming once it hits digital and VOD. The budget was $20 million.

Fathom Events’ latest special screening found it way into the top 10 with SUGA-Agust D Tour ‘D-Day’ in Japan: Live VI. The concert tour from the BTS member did $1.2 million. These things always quickly vanish off the charts and we don’t know the budget, but it is a statement about the continuing power of K-pop.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ You Hurt My Feelings closed out the top 10 with $770,000, down 45% from last weekend – the best hold in the top 10. The critically-loved comedy is now at $3 million domestically and $3.1 million worldwide. It should reach around $5 million domestic; no word on its budget.

Across the Spider-Verse will likely reign again next weekend, but it will have some competition in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts which is targeting around $40 million-plus.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – $120.5 million ($120.5 million total, $208.6 million WW)
2. The Little Mermaid – $40.6 million ($186.2 million total, $326.7 million WW)
3. The Boogeyman – $12.3 million ($12.3 million total, $20 million WW)
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – $10.2 million ($322.7 million total, $780.1 million WW)
5. Fast X – $9.2 million ($128.5 million total, $603.3 million WW)
6. The Super Mario Bros. Movie – $3.4 million ($566.3 million total, $1.3 billion WW)
7. About My Father – $2.1 million ($8.8 million total, $9.2 million WW)
8. The Machine – $1.8 million ($8.7 million total, $8.8 million WW)
9. SUGA-Agust D Tour ‘D-Day’ in Japan: Live VI – $1.2 million ($1.2 million total, $1.2 million WW)
10. You Hurt My Feelings – $770,000 ($3 million total, $3.1 million WW)